Best time to visit Dublin

Dublin's weather is mild and damp in every month, so the choice is really about daylight and crowds. May to September give long evenings, the warmest days, which rarely pass 22 °C, and the busiest, most expensive hotels. St Patrick's week in March is a peak of its own, with hotel rates doubling. Winter is dark, with the sun gone by four in December, but the pubs, museums and Georgian squares work in any weather and rates are lowest in January and February.

Rain is possible in any month; it is usually light and brief rather than torrential, and a hooded jacket beats an umbrella in the wind. The national museums and the National Gallery are free and open daily except Mondays for some branches. The Book of Kells at Trinity and the Guinness Storehouse sell timed tickets that go out a week ahead in summer. Hotel prices have risen sharply and spike for concerts at Croke Park and the Aviva. For long evenings at sensible prices, take late May or September.